Mr G Cooke will move and Mrs J Rook will second:-
“This Council resolves to reject the alternative voting system as being proposed in the referendum to be held on the 5th May 2011 and calls upon the residents of Kent to vote no.”
Minutes:
(1) At the beginning of this item, a number of points of order were raised by Members and the Director of Governance and Law advised that the view might well be taken that the subject of the Motion being proposed by Mr Cooke was “a matter of concern to the County of Kent” in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 1.22 (1) of the Constitution, but that ultimately, it was a matter for the Chairman to decide if it was in order. He advised the County Council that local authorities were prohibited from issuing any publicity for or against a matter that was the subject of a referendum within 28 calendar days of the referendum taking place; i.e. midnight on 6 April 2011, but that there were no restrictions on how the local media reported the County Council’s debate. He also advised that there were no restrictions on the participation in the debate of any candidate in the forthcoming District or Borough Elections on 5 May on the basis that, whilst there were a number of twin-hatted Members on the County Council, participation in this debate was clearly County Council business.
(2) The Chairman confirmed that he had discussed the Motion with the Director of Governance and Law prior to the agenda being finalised and had ruled that it was in order.
(3) Mr G Cooke moved and Mrs J Rook seconded:
“This Council resolves to reject the alternative voting system as being proposed in the referendum to be held on the 5th May 2011 and calls upon the residents of Kent to vote no.”
(4) After discussion, the Chairman put the Motion to the vote, where the result was as follows:
For (55)
Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr A Bowles, Mr R Burgess, Mr C Capon, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, Mr N Chard, Mr A Chell, Mr G Cooke, Mr H Craske, Mr A Crowther, Mr J Cubitt, Mrs V Dagger, Mr M Dance, Mr J Davies, Mr K Ferrin, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Mr M Harrison, Mr C Hibberd, Mr M Hill, Mr D Hirst, Ms A Hohler, Mrs S Hohler, Mr P Homewood, Mr M Jarvis, Mr A King, Mr R King, Mr J Kirby, Mr P Lake, Mrs J Law, Mr J London, Mr R Long, Mr K Lynes, Mr R Manning, Mr M Northey, Mr J Ozog, Mr K Pugh, Mr L Ridings, Mrs J Rook, Mr A Sandhu, Mr J Scholes, Mr C Smith, Mr M Snelling, Mrs P Stockell, Mr B Sweetland, Mr R Tolputt, Mrs E Tweed, Mrs C Waters, Mr J Wedgbury, Mr M Whiting, Mrs J Whittle, Mr A Willicombe, Mr A Wickham
Abstain (2)
Mr R Brookbank, Mr J Simmonds
Against (11)
Mr I Chittenden, Mr L Christie, Mr G Cowan, Mr D Daley, Mrs T Dean, Mrs E Green, Mr G Koowaree, Mr R Lees, Mr T Prater, Mr M Robertson, Mr M Vye
Carried
Resolved: that this Council resolves to reject the alternative voting system as being proposed in the referendum to be held on the 5th May 2011 and calls upon the residents of Kent to vote no.